Scholarly Research Journal for Interdisciplinary Studies,

Online ISSN 2278-8808, SJIF 2016 = 6.17, www.srjis.com

UGC Approved Sr. No.45269, SEPT-OCT 2017, VOL- 4/36
https://doi.org/10.21922/srjis.v4i36.10066

edTPA: AN EVIDENCE-BASED ASSESSMENT OF TEACHER EFFECTIVENESS

IN THE CONTEXT OF ONLINE AND FACE-TO-FACE (F2F) TEACHER
PREPARATION PROGRAMS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Vrinda Vijayan1 & V. P. Joshith2, Ph. D.

1
Ph.D Scholar, Department of Education , Central University of Kerala Vidyanagar Campus,
Kasaragod 671123, E Mail: vrindav28@gmail.com
2
Assistant Professor, Department of Education, Central University of Kerala, Vidyanagar
Campus, Kasaragod 671123

Teacher preparation programs involve face-to-face (f2f) and online modes of delivery. Although the
face-to-face learning environments are often complex and unpredictable, we are very familiar with
them and have developed high levels of skill in working in these environments. The skills, strategies,
and techniques that we so effectively use in face-to-face learning environments may not work well in
online learning and vice-versa. Despite the pervasiveness of online learning in higher education, this
delivery mode has yet to receive similar quality status of F2F learning. Long standing beliefs that
F2F training as the only viable option continues to dominate teacher education. Central to
determining the effectiveness of technology to support learning and the value of technology-mediated
instruction is the quality of programs. edTPA (Educative Teacher Performance Assessment) is a
widely accepted, national measure of teacher readiness and preparation. Using edTPA scorecards,
teacher candidates efficiency can be evaluated after the completion of teacher education program in
traditional face to face (F2F) and online mode. This article focuses that online may be a more
effective and adept program delivery platform for preparing educators for planning for instruction
and assessing student learning outcomes.
Keyword: edTPA
Scholarly Research Journal's is licensed Based on a work at www.srjis.com

Introduction
There is a massive expansion of higher education institutions in India. However, the
efforts to expand higher education are characterized by great opportunities and significant
challenges. One of the challenges includes the lack of standardised assessment of higher
education programs. Teacher education being a most significant aspect of higher education,
the quality of the same should be assessed without errors and ambiguities. Higher education
has been faced with the need to provide intensive faculty professional development and to

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consider extensive curricular redesign to ensure candidates are prepared with the professional
knowledge and expertise to succeed.
Assessment of teacher preparation programs involves continuous process of inquiry
and improvement at all aspect of the education program. This process is to be carried out co-
operatively by all concerned with the growth and development of children. It is related with
the changes in the child as a result of teaching. It is a systematic attempt to find out the
progress made in the teaching performance towards the realization of object of teacher
education.
Teacher preparation programs may be face to face or online. There is a belief that face
to face programs are more consistent than online modes of delivery. Technology enhanced
learning is sometime more appropriate than face to face learning. The focus was on
identifying the talents of the beginning teacher and empowering with positive input. There
have been many innovations like semester system, grading system, assessment system etc.,
but a proper system to address the challenges in evaluation is not implemented with
originality. In this regard, it has been rightly remarked that the evaluation of the prospective
or new teachers is very important strategy, expected of them to raise the standards of
achievement in pupils by giving constant feedback, remediation and improvement of
classroom instructional strategies based on evaluation system.
edTPA is an assessment system of teacher performance in higher education sector. It
is a subject-specific assessment designed to achieve a common standard of teaching quality
that supports student learning. The edTPA was created by SCALE (Stanford Centre for
Assessment, Learning and Equity) in collaboration with the American Association of
Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE). It is an evidence based assessment of teacher
preparation programs. Hence, there is great need to study edTPA in making promising role of
teachers of tomorrow.
What is edTPA?
edTPA is an abbreviation form of educative Teacher Performance Assessment.
edTPA is summative assessment used to evaluate student teacher quality and provide data
that support growth and renewal of teacher preparation program. edTPA can be integrated
with other teacher candidate assessments such as clinical evaluations, GPA(Grade Point
Average), and content knowledge examinations to inform program completion decisions or as
a metric for licensure. It acts as a source of evidence for program review, teacher licensure or
state and national accreditation.
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edTPA is a performance-based, subject-specific assessment and support system
designed to emphasize, measure and support the skills and knowledge that all teachers need
from the very first day in the classroom. It is the first such standards-based assessment
available in the United States. It advances subject-area assessments with a practice that needs
teacher candidates to demonstrate that they have the classroom skills necessary to ensure
students learning.
It requires the submission of such artefacts as lesson plans, assignments, assessments,
student work samples, videotape segments that capture the teacher candidate engaging
students in learning, academic language, and extensive commentary on each of the three
tasks: planning, instruction, and assessment. In short, the edTPA requires the teacher
candidate to reflect on the demands and real work of teaching and measures not only content
and pedagogical knowledge but also the candidates readiness to become a teacher.

(https://northcentralcollege.edu/sites/default/files/Documents/edTPAGuide.pdf)
What is edTPA designed to achieve?
edTPA is designed to help teacher preparation programs by increasing their focus on
quality by providing a common standard of teaching quality that supports student learning.
Teacher educators may use the edTPA process to examine their programs for possible areas
of improvement.
edTPA assesses the performance of new teachers and determine whether they are
ready to enter the teaching profession with the skills that make learning of all students
possible and fruitful. It gives teacher licensure and support state and national or even
international program accreditation and renewal.

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edTPA is the assessment and support system designed to provide evidence that the
prospective teacher candidates are ready to teach. With a focus on learning for all students,
edTPA engages new teacher candidates in developing the knowledge, skills and abilities they
need to meet the needs of todays diverse learners.
edTPA assesses subject-specific pedagogy
edTPA is a subject-specific performance assessment that recognizes that teaching and
learning are not the same across all subjects and all grades or levels. A history teacher doesnt
approach inquiry in the same way as a science teacher. A kindergarten teacher doesnt
communicate in the same way as a middle school math teacher. Thus edTPA doesnt assess
all teachers in the same way. The support of edTPA resources help teacher preparation
programs deepens their focus on the subject specific skills of aspiring teachers by making the
atmosphere of a real classroom.
edTPA is conducted in real practice
edTPA is conducted in realistic atmosphere. Current practice of testing in which subject-
area knowledge alone is assessed can not reflect the overall efficiency of a beginning teacher.
edTPAs integrated portfolio model and authentic outcome of practice are prepared by
candidates in an actual teaching experience and reflect a cycle of effective teaching. The
candidate demonstrates how she plans instruction based on their teaching context and
students strengths and needs, engages students in deep subject specific instruction and
analyzes student learning to inform next steps for teaching. This cycle of planning,
instruction and assessment reflects what the real teachers do on day-to-day to ensure their
students learn.
edTPA provides support for implementation
An important element of the experience gained from the broad use of edTPA is that
support to faculty members and programs is fundamental to fulfilling its educative promise.
edTPAs robust support includes guidelines for incorporating the learning principles of the
edTPA across time to ensure that programs provide candidates with formative opportunities
to develop their practice and states have baseline data for determining performance standards.
edTPA developers provide numerous resources such as webinars, local evaluation protocols,
online and face-to-face training and professional networks that allow participating faculty,
programs and institutions to review their own practices and curriculum, identify strengths and
needs of candidates, embed edTPA in their multiple measures assessment systems, and to
join new professional communities.
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Merits of edTPA:
1. Helps teachers to develop the confidence and skills they need to be successful.
2. Provides a standard and evidence-based data that can be used across states to evaluate
aspiring teachers demonstrate their readiness for the classroom.
3. Measures candidates' ability to differentiate instruction for diverse learners, including
English language learners and special education students.
4. Provides adequate data that can be used to improve teacher education programs and
renew program curriculum.
5. Creates a body of evidence of teacher performance.
Preparation for Critical Dimensions of Teaching
Candidates must prepare a portfolio of materials during their student teaching
clinical experience. edTPA requires candidates to demonstrate readiness to teach through
lesson plans designed to support their students' strengths and needs; engage real students in
ambitious learning; analyze whether their students are learning, and adjust their instruction to
become more effective.
The edTPA process identifies and collects subject-specific evidence of effective
teaching from a learning segment of 3- 5 lessons from a unit of instruction for one class of
students. Teacher candidates submit authentic artefacts from a real field experience.
Candidates also submit commentaries that provide a rationale to support their instructional
practices based on the learning strengths and needs of students. Candidates evidence is
evaluated and scored within the following five dimensions of teaching:
1. Planning Instruction and Assessment establishes the instructional and social context
for student learning and includes lesson plans, instructional materials and student
assignments and assessments. Candidates demonstrate how their plans align with
content standards; build upon students prior academic learning and life experiences and
how instruction is differentiated to address student needs. Candidates submit lesson
plans for 3-5 consecutive lessons along with relevant instructional materials, such as
assignments and handouts.
2. Instructing and Engaging Students in Learning includes one or two unedited video
clips of 15-20 minutes from the learning segment and a commentary analyzing how the
candidate engages students in learning activities. Candidates also demonstrate subject-
specific pedagogical strategies and how they elicit and monitor student responses to

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develop deep subject matter understandings. It shows what they would change about
their instruction and justifies their responses with evidence from the videos.
3. Assessing Student Learning includes classroom based assessment (evaluation criteria),
student work samples, evidence of teacher feedback, and a commentary analyzing
patterns of student learning. Artefacts include a summary of patterns in whole class
learning, samples of work from three students, and the feedback given to these students.
The commentaries include an explanation of how the assessment data will inform next
steps for instruction, both for the class and for the individuals.
4. Analysis of Teaching Effectiveness is addressed in commentaries within Planning,
Instruction and Assessment tasks. In planning, candidates justify their plans based on
the candidates knowledge of diverse students learning strengths and needs and
principles of research and theory. In Instruction, candidates explain and justify which
aspects of the learning segment were effective, and what the candidate would change.
Lastly, candidates use their analysis of assessment results to inform next steps for
individuals and groups with varied learning needs.
5. Academic Language Development is evaluated based on the candidates ability to
support students oral and written use of academic language to deepen subject matter
understandings. The edTPA includes an analysis of the instructional context and an
emphasis upon academic language acquisition in all subject areas .Candidates explain
how students demonstrate academic language using student work samples and/or video
recordings of student engagement.
edTPA Common Architecture
Dimensions Artifacts 15 Rubrics
Planning Lesson plans, instructional Planning for Content Understandings,
materials, student Supporting Students Learning Needs
assignments, assessment , Planning Assessment to Monitor
Planning commentary Student Learning
Instruction Unedited video clips, Demonstrating a Positive and
Instruction commentary Engaging Learning Environment
Engaging Students in Learning
Deepening Learning During
Instruction
Subject-Specific Pedagogy
Assessment Samples of student work Analyzing Student Learning
Summary of student learning Providing Feedback to Guide
Assessment commentary Learning
Supporting Students Use of
Feedback
Analysis of Planning commentary Using knowledge of students to
Teaching Instruction commentary inform Planning Analyzing Teaching
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Assessment commentary Using Assessment to Inform
Instruction
Academic Unedited video clips and/or Identifying and Supporting Language
Language student work samples Demands Evidence of Language Use
Planning and assessment to Support Content Understandings
commentaries
(https://northcentralcollege.edu/sites/default/files/Documents/edTPAGuide.pdf)
The Requirements of edTPA
The teacher candidate will choose one class for the edTPA project and will complete
the edTPA context for learning template that provides background for the school and the
focus class. The candidate will then construct commentary in response to questions on the
rubrics to reflect on teaching practices in the areas of planning, instruction, and assessment.
While the commentary will take additional time by designating edTPA work days for the
candidates, the basic requirements of the project align with what the candidate should already
be doing. edTPA takes the real work of teaching and provides an opportunity for the
candidate to learn from his/her practices through extensive reflection on planning, instruction,
and assessment.
The Time commitment that students are expected to manage
Students are generally instructed that they should be working on Residency plans,
grading, and other responsibilities during weekdays and evenings with some overlap into the
weekend as necessary. Work related to the edTPA that lies outside normal planning for
instruction and grading should be done on weekends, in the seminars small group strategy
building time, or on the three assigned work days. The edTPA should complement what
teacher candidates are already doing and should never interfere with the teacher candidates
ability to carry out his responsibilities in the K-12 classroom.
The Goal of edTPA
The goal of the edTPA is to provide a measure of readiness for entry into the teaching
profession that is aligned with components of the Danielson Framework for Teaching which
serves as the foundation for evaluating the work of practicing teachers in many school
districts. Through this assessment, the teacher candidate will prove competency in
pedagogical practices that will help to ensure success as a classroom teacher, improve student
outcomes, and guide professional development. The reflective commentaries will show that
the candidate is able to understand how his/her students learn and identify and analyze the
evidence of their learning.

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What Aspects of Teaching the Evaluators are looking for?
The five general components of teaching skills that are assessed include planning,
instruction, assessment, analyzing teaching, and academic language. The 15 areas the rubrics
examine include: planning for content understanding, planning to support varied student
learning needs, using knowledge of students to inform teaching, identifying and supporting
language demands, planning assessments to monitor and support student learning, learning
environment, engaging students in learning, deepening student learning, subject-specific
pedagogy, analyzing teaching effectiveness, analysis of student learning, providing feedback
to guide student learning, student use of feedback, analyzing students [academic] language
use, and using assessment to inform instruction.
Online and Face-To-Face (F2F) Teacher Preparation Programs in the Context of
edTPA
In diverse learning environments of higher education, the ways to enhance the
teacher effectiveness is a difficult task. In the current environment that includes more and
more online courses, many faculties are expected to master teachers in both face-to-face
(F2F) and online environments. The teacher education programs in higher education, both
online and face-to-face (F2F) courses have to give emphasis for strengthening the
effectiveness of teaching.
edTPA ,being a good measure of teacher readiness and preparation,,it can be used at
state or national or international level. Like other performance assessments, edTPA is
designed to provide a broad view of classroom instruction that evaluates teachers abilities to
plan, provide instruction, assess student learning, analyze teachers instruction, and support
students acquisition of academic language.
Face to face teacher preparation programs provides an atmosphere for teacher and
learner to be in direct contact.In the context of edTPA, face to face (F2F) teacher preparation
programs have some limitations like submission of lesson plans in the form of videotapes that
uses for demonstration and the he instructional materials are in printed format, not in
electronic mode .The submission of student work and assessment also can be in printed form
only.
But in online mode of teacher preparation program teacher and learner may not be in
the same place. They can overcome geographical barriers. The online teacher preparation
makes use of online tools and resources to enhance classroom based education and teacher
candidates teach online. Teachers who teach online must be able to create an online learning
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environment where the student is physically distant from him. Online learning is pervasive
throughout the teacher preparation program to allow for each teacher to be prepared to fill the
roles of online course designer, online teacher and facilitator.
In the context of edTPA, teacher candidates are supposed to submit the samples of
their work in the classroom like video clips of their instruction, examples of student work,
and planning and assessment documentation etc. which is possible in online teacher
education programmes. Candidates are supposed to submit videotapes of three to five lesson
segments from an instructional unit that show evidence of their teaching abilities for one
group of students. They also submit artefacts from a clinical experience that includes
assessments of student learning and commentaries about their planning, instruction, and
evaluation of student learning.
In edTPA, These sources of information about teaching are scored using 15 analytic
rubrics. Using edTPA scorecards, online teacher candidates learning outcomes can be
compared to candidates completing traditional face to face (F2F) programs after the
completion of teacher education program. Online teacher preparation programs are equivalent
and in some cases more effective method for preparing teachers. It may be a more adept
program delivery platform for preparing educators for planning for instruction and assessing
student learning outcomes.
Conclusion
Education is a field that is dynamic. As teacher preparation programs adapt to the
changes brought by edTPA, we are able to address the challenges in diverse assessment and
enhance the educative possibilities of each wave of reform. edTPA is used for developing
knowledge and skills of candidates and to be ready for the classroom. It is an effective
measure of entry-level teaching skills and readiness for the classroom regardless of the path
candidates take to teaching. It focuses attention on the capacity to teach rather than structure
of program.
Teacher preparation programs involve face-to-face (F2F) and online modes of
delivery in higher education. In the context of edTPA, face to face (F2F) teacher preparation
programs have some limitations compared to online modes of delivery. Online Teacher
Preparation Programs should make use of edTPA in higher education for constructing an
effective teacher for tomorrow.
This new initiative can meet the needs of educators and policymakers for robust
and reliable data on candidate effectiveness to guide and inform preparation, credentialing,
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and program improvement. Also, there is a need to develop and provide more training
materials on edTPA. The evidence that can be used to improve teacher education programs
and classroom teaching-learning process.
References
https://www.uwgb.edu/education/files/coopdocs/whyedtpajune20162.pdf
https://www.learntechlib.org/p/151826
http://dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/imce/tepdl/pdf/using-edtpa.pdf
http://www.isbe.net/licensure/pdf/higher-ed/edTPA/edTPA-informational-doc.pdf
https://northcentralcollege.edu/sites/default/files/Documents/edTPAGuide.pdf
https://ceedar.education.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/LS-1_FINAL_08-27-14.pdf
http://www.uni.edu/coe/sites/default/files/wysiwyg/edtpaFACTSHEET.pdf
https://education.illinois.edu/docs/default-source/default-document-library/edtpa-guide-for-coops-
ece.pdf?sfvrsn=0
http://www.edtpa.com/pageview.aspx?f=gen_aboutedtpa.html

Copyright 2017, Scholarly Research Journal for Interdisciplinary Studies